Sand separating and blending means



i G. F. ROYER 1,713,449

May 14, 1929.

SAND SEPARATING AND BLENDING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 50, 1925 May 14, 1929. I vG. F. ROYER l 1,713,449

SAND SEFARATING AND BLENDING MEANS mmwm May 14, 1929.

G. F. ROYER SAND SEPARATING AND BLENDING MEANS Filed 001;. 30, 1925 C5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented 'May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,713,449 PATENT OFFICE.

. GEoRGE EEOYEE, E wILKEs-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, AssiGNoR To ROYER POUN- 1 DRY 'a MACHINE co., or WILxEs-BAREE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.`

SAND SEPARTING AND BLENDING MEANS.

Application led Octobery 30, 1925. Serial No. 65,791

l The present invention relates `to improvements in apparatus or machines including the subject matter of a prior Patent No. 1,559,915, and has for its particular object to prov-ide an automatically acting means for lifting the material to be treated from the flooror surface on which the machine rests and discharging the same onto the separate ing belt. f f i As clearly set forth in the aforesaid patent, the machine includes as an essential elementan endless belt mounted in an inclined position, and provided with outwardly projecting, closely adjacent, metal sprigs. In use this belt is driven ata relatively high speed by a suitable motor, and the granular material to be treated is deposited on the upper run thereof. The action of the belt onfthe mass of material deposited thereon effects a separation of minute particles from such .mass which are collected in the interstices between the metal sprigs, and as `the belt rtravelsover its upper supportin roll thesecollected particles are discharge in a strc-am, beingprojected from such roll for a considerable distance, thus aerating and thoroughly blending the lsepa-rated particles.

As previously stated, the particular object ofthe present improvements is to provide 4a kmeans by which the material to be treated may be lifted from the floor or surface on which the machine rests and delivy ered tothe material treating belt. The machine is particularly designed for use in the preparation of sand or material used inthe formation of moulds employed for shaping V[luid metaland as the piles of such material may be located at widely separated points on the foundry floor, or it may be-desiredto el'ect a discharge of the separatedand blended material at points relatively distant from such lsupply piles, the machinev referably includes a wheeled supportingr rame and means -for propellingit from vplace to place,

such movement being vguided by suitable onto, the treating belt with* a minimum.

amount ofv attention fronr an operative. Movement of the machine ,y from place to Y ing lbelt, an

place, as well as control ofthe automatically acting loading devices, may `all be controlled .by a single attendant so that the expense of operating ,the mechanism is reduced tn a mmimum.

In the accompanying drawings some of the parts are shown more or less conventionally, and (particularly the material treatshown in the same detailas in the earlier patent which is more particularly directedV to these elements. l

There can, of course, be considerable modification and possible rearrangementofthe several parts ofthe mechanism without departlngv from the invention, andy it is to be understood that except where specifically described in the appended claims,;the invention is not' to be considered as limited to the exact details illustrated. In other words, the drawings are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive of the invention.

In the drawings z- 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan. Figure 3 is an elevational detail of the lifting devices.

`Figure 4 is a detail of portionsof the gearing provided forV propelling the machine from place to place. Y

Figure 5 is a. detail illustrating the mannerin whichV the material lifting means is operated to effect delivery of the` material carriedthereby tothe treating belt.

vFigure 6 is a sectional detail, substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2. l

Referring to the drawings., in the several fguresof` which like reference. characters designate corresponding parts, theimprovedmachine includes armain supporting frame. which is mounted upon suitable ground wheels 1,2, located respectively adjacent its forward and rear ends. i Y The wheels 1 are'loosely mounted on a suitable axle 3, while the wheels 2 are preferably connected by a yoke 4, which has an upwardlyV extending spindle-like member engaging a suitable bearing `on the frame, so that said wheels may be` turnedabout a vertical axis for guiding the movement of themachine from place to place.

- For eiecting such movement'of thesteeriking Wheels the yoke-4 is shown as connected to a toothed segment' 5, with'which meshesV its control means, are not Lie-l a pinion 6 at the lower end `fof a shaft 7. The shaft- 7 is supported in suitable bearings on the main frame, and at its upper' end has secured thereto a bevel gear 8, which meshes with a coacting gear on a substantially horizontal shaft 9 provided at its other end with a hand wheel 10. By turning the hand wheel 10 the steering wheels 2 may be readily adjusted about a vertical axis to control the direction of travel of the machine as desired.

\ In suitable.uprights`on` the -wheel supporting frame are journalled the -rollers about which the kmaterial treating belt 11` passes. This belt is of the character described in detail in the earlier Patent 1,559,915, and, as in the machine ofV that patent, `is arranged in an inclined position, its rear, discharge end, being at thehighest point and so positioned `that the separated particles Vcollected by the belt will be discharged rearwardly from the machine and to a considerable distance.

Power' for driving the separating belt 11, at the necessary high speed `is provided by amotor arranged `within asuitable casing 12, which is,` inthe embodiment of the in` vention illust-rated, located below the sepa-v rating belt, being directly mounted on the body of the wheel supporting frame. .Preferably, an electric motor is .employedfand the current therefor is supplied through a suitable conductor 13, whichfis of suiiicient lengthtor permit the `machine being moved over a considerable area.

A suitable hopper comprising side Walls 14 and end walls lis provided above the material treating belt.`

"2 0ydesignatesi the body of the receptacle or shovel by which'the material' to be treated is lifted from the `floor or surface on .which the machine `rests and conveyed to a position to be discharged into the aforesaid' hopper and onto the upperfsurrace of the material treating belt 11. As shown, lthisshovel or receptacle'is of scoop-like form; provided at its opposite sides with rearwardly extending arms 21, which `areypivotally connected tothe wheeled supporting frame so that" the shovel maybe bodily swung from the position shownin full linesin Figure 1, fto'that represented. in dotted lines. In the'embodiment of the' invention illustrated, the shovel supporting arms 21 are mounted; to turn about the axis or the front axle 3 of the wheeled supporting frame, `and are of such length thatthe shovel is supportedin advance 'of the `iframe and, when inits lowered position, lwill beY caused to enter api'le ofsandin tlie-path`-of the machine as the latter moves 'over the lfoundry floor. By thus moving the `machine the shovel maybe auto-` matically loadedand then, by the means hereinafter"described, the arms 21 can bel l swung `upward about their `prvotalconn`ecshovel 20, preferably adjacent the forward end thereof. At their rear ends the cables 22 are connected to winding drums 24, which are loosely mounted on a shaft 25 journalled in suitable bearings on the wheel supporting frameand adapted to be rotated by gearing, hereinafter described, from the motor in the casing 12. i i

i As shown, the shaft 25 is provided at one end with a sprocket 26, which, through a chain 27, is connected to a smaller sprocket 28011 a power shaft 29. A second sprocket iO-"on the shaft 29 is, `through a chain 31,

`connected with asprocket at one end of the shaft 32, which. constitutes the support for the upper end of the material' treating belt-11. f f 4 i yFriction clutches `are provided for connecting the winding drums 24 to the shaft 25, movement of such clutches beingr effected through bell crank levers 36, each having one arm connected by suitable links to a control lever 87. Referring to Figurer-3, it will be seen that as the lever 37 is rocked,.the two clutches-35 will be simultaneously actuated tol engage the winding'drums with'the shaft 25 lor release such connection as dcsired. i

By-properly manipulating the lever 37, it will bev possible, therefore, to raise `the conveying shovel from the full line position shownin Figure 1 to that represented by dotted lines, and when said leveris actuated to disengage the clutches 35, the shovel will, automatically, by gravity, return to its lower position. i

Such return movement of the shovel is controlled by friction brake bands L10, `which by manipulation or a suitable lever '41 are caused to 'exert a retarding effect upon the unwinding movement ot` thedrums 24. This brake mechanism may also be employed toiretain the shovel at anydcsired elevated position when the clutches 35 are'disengaged.`

. shovel continued (by properly manipulating the brake lever 41vand clutch controlling lever `37) to bring it into the discharging position and automatically effect delivery of its contents onto the Amaterial treating belt, hereinafter 'referred to.

The portion 20 of the rear end wall of the i lll) Cil

shovel 20 is supported to be movable relative to the side walls and bottom of the shovel. As shown, this rear end wall is supported by a bail 50, the endsof which are connected to arms 51 pivotally engaged with the side walls of the shovel, as at 52, and each provided at-its rear end with a roller 53.

As the shovel is lifted, by actuation of the winding drums, the rollers 53 contact with, and ride along, ythe upper edges of guides 55, or outwardly extending flanges on the side walls of the hopper that project over said guides, and, as the upwardly swinging movement of the shovel supportling arms 21 continues the contact of the rollers 53 with said guides 55 and flanges on the hopper acts to move the rear end wall section 2Oa from contact with the relatively stationary part of such end wall, asillustrated in Fig. 5, thus providing an outlet for the discharge of the contents of the shovel onto the material treating belt.

For propelling the machine, each of the forward ground wheels 1 is provided with a sprocket that is connected by a chain 61 with a. sprocket 62 at one end of a shaft 63.

The shaft 63 extends parallel and adjacent the power shaft 29, both said shafts passing through a suitable casing 64 within which is arranged the gearing that will now be described by which power is communicated to the shaft 63 and the direction of rotation thereof controlled. n

On the shaft 29 within the casing 64 are secured a gear 65 and sprocket 651. The gear 65 meshes with a gear 66 carried by a sleeve loosely `mounted* on the shaft`63 and It will be seen that when the gear .66 is p clutched to the shaft, power from theshaft 29 will drive the shaft 63 in one direction and through the chains 61 and sprockets 60 effect movement of the wheel supporting frame in one direction, whereas by disconnecting the gear 66 from the shaft 63 and clutching the sprocket 67 to such shaft the direction of rotation of the shaft and conse-` quent movement of the wheel vsupporting frame will be reversed. For effecting actuation of the two friction clutches 70, 71, use is made of a shifting rod 72 having at its outer end a suitable handle and connected within the casing 65 to a clutch operating lever 73. The lever 73 is connected to ,the two friction clutchmembers 70, 71, sothat as said lever is rocked in one direction the ing, both of the friction clutches are .dis` engaged and the machine willfremain stationary. f

It is believed that the ymanner of using and the' advantages of the improvements Will be readily appreciated from the foregoing description in connection with the drawings. It will be seen that the several manually operable devices (namely, the levers 37 ,41, andfshiftingrod 72) for controlling actuation of the means for lifting the shovel, re-

taining it against movement or controlling downward movement thereof and for controlling forward or backward movementof the vehicle, as well as the hand wheel 10 for steering the machine, are all readily accessible by a single operative, and movements of `the machine can be controlled in avery simple manner.

Assuming that the parts are in the relation shown in full lines in Figure 1, andthe motor is operating to drive the material treating belt at the desired speed, the operator will shift `the control rod 72 to effect connection of the gear 66, for example, to the shaft 63, which will cause the machine to move forward and the shovel 2() to enter a pile of sand in the path of travel of the machine. When the shovel has been loaded the control rod 72 will be shifted to release both clutches 70, 71, and the lever 37 shifted to connect the winding drums to the power shaft 25.-. As the cables 22 are wound upon thel drums 24, the shovel will be swung upward to a `position above the material treatingbelt 11. the shovel continues, the rollers53 riding on the guides 55 will effect an opening movement ofthe rear endY wall section 20I of the shovel, permitting the contents of the latter to fall upon thematerial treating belt. The articles separated from the mass by such belt will bedischargedin av stream from the rear upper endofthe beltto a considerable distance from the machine, as explained in the earlier application before referred to. In case yit is desired toshift the machine bodily after the shovel has been loaded, and before depositing the contents thereof upon the belt, the operator kwill mover the lever 37 to release the winding drums from their power shaft andactuate the brake control lever 41 to prevent movement of said drums. With the parts in this position, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure'l, the machine with the loaded shovel elevated may be moved to,y

As this upward movement of y any desired point, and, therefore, by releasing the brakes and properly `movin the clutch lever 37 thewinding drums w11] be f feeding means operated by the motor for periodically lifting material from the surlace on which the machine stands and delivering it to the material treating means, and manual control devices operative to vary the periodic operations of said feeding means and to interrupt the movement thereoi between the loading),` and discharge positions, whereby the position of the machine may be shifted after a charge of material has been lifted from the surface on which the machine stands and prior to its being discharged from the shovel, so that a plurality of charges collected by the shovel at different points may be simultaneously delivered to the material treating means.

2. A machine ot the class specified, comprising a wheeled supporting frame, a motor on said trame, two arms pivotally connected to and projecting from the frame, comiections between the motor and said arms for swinging the arms upward about their pivots, a shovel supported between said arms to be positioned beyond the frame when the arms are lowereththe shovel being provided with a relatively movable end wall, a hopper on the Atraine, inclined guideways at opposite sides of the hopper, rollers projecting laterally from the movable end wall olf the shovel and adapted to ride on said guideways as the shovel supporting arms are swung upward, whereby the end wall oil the shovel will be adjusted to effect discharge oit the contents voi: the shovel into the hopper at a predetermined point in the upward travel of the shovel, means on the frame actuated by the motor for treating material discharged into the hopper, and manually op erable controlling devices i'or interrupting the upward movement of the shovel and holding it stationary at an intermediate point in its travel. A

3. A machine of the class specified, comprising a wheeled supporting frame, a motor on said frame, connections between the motor and wheels of the supporting frame for propelling` the machine, a shovel pivotally connected to the frame and projecting therefrom in position to enter a pile of material in the path oi' movement of the wheeled frame, means actuated by the motor for swinging the shovel upward about its pivotal connection with the frame, material treating means on the frame actuated by the motor and adapted to receive material dis# charged by the shovel, and means for retain lng the shovel stationary relative to the frame at any desired point intermediate itsV loading and discharge position.

4. A machine ol the class specified, comprising a wheeled supporting. frame, a motor on said frame, a pivotally supported shovel adapted Vto project from theV trame, a winding drum supported on the frame above the path of material discharged from the shovel, means for actuating the drum from the motor, cable connections between the drum and shovel for rocking the latter about its ljiivotal connection with the frame, motor actuated material treating means adapted to receive material discharged by the shovel, and brake means adapted to cooperate with the winding drum for maintaining 'the shovel stationary relative to the iframe at any desired point intermediate its `loading and discharge positions. Y

5. A machine ot the character described, comprisingra wheeled supporting iframe, a motor on said frame, material treating means on the frame actuated by the motor, material feeding means comprising a receptacle pivotally connected to the frame, whereby it may be positioned upon the surlace on which the machine stands or where it will deliverl its contents to said material treating means, means operated by the mot-or iior rocking said receptacle upward about its pivotal support from one of said positions to the other, means for automatically delivering the contents of the receptacle to the said material treating means when it has been elevated to a predetermined point, and manual control devicesfor interrupting the liiting movement of said :feeding means at points intermediate the loading and dis charge positions oit the receptacle, for the purposes stated.

G. A machine of the character described, comprising a wheeled supporting frame, a motor on `said trame, material treating means lon the frame actuated bythe motor, material feeding means comprising a scooplike receptacle connected to the frame and adapted to be positioned upon the surface on which the machine stands, or where it will deliver its contents to said material treating means, motor operated means for lifting said receptacle from one said position to the other, manual control devices operative to connect said lifting means to the motor and to interrupt movement of the receptacle and hold it stationary at points intermediate said terminal positions, and means for connecting the motor with one of the Wheels of the supporting `frame for bodily moving` the entire machine. y i

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myV hand.

GEORGE F. ROYER. 

